the year ends

Issa Original
ともかくもあなた任せのとしの暮
tomokaku mo anata makase no toshi no kure

David’s English
come what may
trusting in theBuddha…
the year ends

Sakuo Renku
あなたにすがる以外に道なし
there is no way
without depending on you

Work, rhythmical and speed up

Issa Original
なみあみだなみあみだとてこき茶哉
namu amida namu amida tote koki cha kana

David’s English
“Praise Amida!
Praise Amida”
picking tea leaves

Sakuo Renku
リズムとなりて仕事は進む
It goes rhythmically
and work speed up

Play with the saints

Issa Original
かすむ日やさぞ天人の御退屈
kasumu hi ya sazo tennin no o-taikutu

David’s English
misty day---
no doubt Heaven’s saints
bored stiff

Sakuo Renku
魂抜けて天人と遊ぶ
My soul leaves me
playing with the saints.

greeting toYama

Issa Original
秋の風我が参るはどの地獄
aki no kaze waga mairu wa dono jigoku

David’s English
autumn wind---
on my pilgrimage
to which hell?

Sakuo Renku
着いたら閻魔にご挨拶
arriving at hell
I will greet Yama.

to the demon's place

Issa Original
地獄へは斯う参れとや閑古鳥
jigoku e wa kou maire to ya kankodori

David’s English
“This way to hell
pilgrim!”
mountain cuckoo

Sakuo Renku
鬼の元へと無事に着きたし
wanting to arrive safely
to the demon's place.

be reborn under the Buddha

Issa Original
蚤とぶや笑仏の御口へ
nomi tobu ya warai-botoke no onkuti he

David’s English
a flea jumps
in the laughing Buddha’s
mouth

Sakuo Renku
仏の元で生まれ変わらん
Under the Buddha　
wishing to be reborn

not take a nap

Issa Original
立秋もしらぬ童が仏哉
tatsu aki mo shiranu warabe ga hotoke kana

David’s English
not knowing that
autumn’s begun, a child
Buddha!

Sakuo Renku
遊びに夢中で昼寝をしない
absorbed in playing
He does not take a nap.

get enlightenment

Issa Original
下下国の茨も正覚とりにけり
gege koku no bara mo shoukaku torini keri

David’s English
even wild roses
of a downtrodden land
reach enlightenment

Sakuo Renku
皆悟りを開く国なり
everybody get enlightenment
This is such country

It starts soon

Issa Original
人声にぼつとしたやら夕桜
hitogoe ni botto shita yara yuuzakura

David’s English
at the soundof voices
evening cherry blossoms
blush

Sakuo Renku
夜の宴会そろそろ始まる
the party of night---
starts soon

the ships pray saftey too

Issa Original
寒月や雁も金比羅祈る声
kangetu ya kari mo kompira inoru koe

David’s English
cold　moon---
will geese, too , pray
to Kompira

Commnet
Kompira is the god of navigation.

Sakuo Renku
船も祈るや旅の無事
the ships too pray
safety of travel

quickly pissing, quickly meal

Issa Original
小便所ここと馬呼ぶ夜寒哉
syoubenjo koko to uma yobu yosamu kana

David’s English
“ Here’s the out house!”
the horse calls
a cold night

Sakuo Renku
早く小便して飯にしょうぜ
quickly pissing and quickly taking meal

If not listen ?

Issa Original
時鳥蝿虫めらもよっく聞け
hototogisu hae musi mera mo yottuku kike

David’s English
cuckoo---
oh flies and worms
listen well!!

Comment
Issa compare cuckoo to a Samurai, named Tametomo who was a strong man with
bow and sward. In battle field he cried “listen well, Yah and Yah”
to his enemies. In this haiku cuckoo becomes strong ruler and
flies and worm are weak subjects.

Sakuo Renku
聞かずば使う弓刀あり
if not listen
bow and sward are usable

why should sparrow yield ?

Issa Original
雀の子そこのけそこのけ御馬が通る
suzume no ko soko noke soko noke o-uma ga touru

David’s English
baby sparrow
move aside!
Mr.Horse passes

Sakuo Renku
何で雀が道を譲るの
why should sparrow
yield the way ?

escape in a hurry

Issa Original
寝返りをするぞそこのけきりぎりす
negaeri wo suru zo soko noke kirigirisu

David’s English
turning over in bed---
move aside!
katydid

Sakuo Renku
鳴くのは止めて早く逃げろよ
stop chirping
escape in a hurry

change of rice

Issa Original
慈悲すれば糞をする也雀の子
jihi sureba hoto wo suru nari suzume no ko

David’s English
when you feed it
the baby sparrow
craps on you

Sakuo Renku
米のお釣りを置いて行く
Change of rice is placed
and it goes.

Thou will again born to a fly

Issa Original
やれ打な蝿が手をすり足をする
yare utsu na hae ga te wo suri asi wo suru

David’s English
don’t swat fly
wringing hands
wringing feet

Sakuo Renku
汝も蝿に生まれ変るぞ
Thou will also be again
born to a fly.

only petrified

Issa Original
ちる花に佛とも法ともしらぬ哉
tiru hana ni butu tomo nori tomo shiranu kana

David’s English
in scattering blooms
Buddha and Buddhism
unknown

Sakuo Renku
花の炎に立ちすくむのみ
only petrified with
the flame of blooms

wanting nothing

Issa Original
蝶とぶや此世に望みのないやうに
cho tobu ya kon yo ni nozomi nai you ni

David’s English
butterfly flits
as if wanting nothing
in this world

Sakuo Renku
望みなければ悩み無し
wanting nothing
with no trouble

not face but voice

Issa Original
前の世のおれがいとこか閑古鳥
mae no yo no ore ga itoko ka kankodori

David’s English
in a previous
life, my cousin?
mountain cuckoo

Sakuo Renku
顔は似ぬけど声似たり
the face is not alike
but the voice is alike

with Ms Butterfly

Issa Original
木の陰や蝶と休むも他生の縁
ki no kage ya chou to yasumu mo tasho no en

David’s English
in tree shade
relaxing with a butterfly…
friends in a previous life

Sakuo Renku
急に降り出し蝶と雨宿り
It rains suddenly
shelter with Ms Butterfly

butterfly leads me

Issa Original
此方が善光寺とや蝶のとぶ
kono kataga zenkouji to ya chou no tobu

David’s English
“Follow me to Zenkou Temple”
butterfly
flies

Sakuo Renku
牛に引かれて参る人あり
a cow leads the way
some one visiting

love also breaks

Issa Original
船頭よ小便無用浪の月
sendou yo syouben muyou nami no tuki

David’s English
hey boat man
no pissing on the moon
in the waves

Sakuo Renku
浪の向こうの恋もこわれる
love over the waves
also breaks.

did bedwetting laughed at in the morning

Issa Original
鼠らよ小便無用古衾
nezumi-ra yo syouben muyou furu fusuma

David’s English
hey mice---
no pissing on my old
winter quilt!

Sakuo Renku
寝小便だと朝笑われる
did bedwetting
being laughed at in the morning.

can not return here

Issa Original
菊さくや馬糞山も一けしき
kiku saku ya ma-guso yama mo hito keshiki


David’s English
chrysanthemum blooming
horse-sit mountain
one scene

Sakuo Renku
立ち去る影はここに戻れず
the shadow to leave
can not return here

in and out freely

Issa Original
鶯の目利してなくわが家哉
uguisu no mekiki shite naku waga ya kana

David English
with disdain
the nightingale critiques
my house

Sakuo Renku
出入り自由な我が家なりけり
in and out freely
it’s my hut